A management & maintenance magazine for school transportation fleets
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48 S C H O O L B U S F L E E T • J U L Y 2 0 1 4 We Make Water Burn! K100 School Bus Fleets... Save money +Increase mileage +Run smooth Have less smoke and fuel related breakdowns. Join the K100 School Bus Fleet TODAY! K-100.COM 800.530.6935 Eliminating water in fuel since 1965 product highlights By Rebecca Peters Quantum XXI Inc. has developed GOLDbus, a computer tablet technology for school buses and other feets that is vastly improved over the old GPS/AVL frmware approach. The supplier worked directly with school districts to determine features that enhance student safety and driver accountability and bring savings to districts. The tablet solution for school buses is unique in the fexibility it offers. Ap- plications are all-inclusive in the initial software package pricing. All features are built into the software; school districts can implement them with no "add-on" cost. Because GOLDbus is software-based, it can be used on any tablet or com- puter with a Microsoft-based platform. Quantum XXI recommends the sturdy Fujitsu tablet for school buses. The Loudoun County (Va.) Public Schools transportation department tested several tablets with the GOLD- bus software and found that it worked fawlessly on all of them, but that the Fujitsu tablet, built to military stan- dards, proved to be the sturdiest for withstanding temperature changes, bumpy roads, dust, etc. GOLDbus includes all the basic GPS/ AVL features and many others that in- tegrate seamlessly within the system, as well as with other software used in school districts, such as routing, feet management, payroll, human resourc- es and student information. GPS/AVL is built into the hardware (tablet) and includes features such as real-time and historical data, including bus locations, speed, and departure and arrival times; length of time spent at locations; comparative analysis of actual versus planned times; and standard and customized reports of events. The following features are included in the software and require no additional hardware or software. Report Wizard: Creates customized reports. Time and attendance: Connects with payroll systems, allowing for paperless timesheets; for drivers/ attendants to view hours; and for managers to view employee hours. Two-way communication: Data can be transmitted to and from the buses directly without other buses receiving or hearing the ex- change. Real-time downloading of routes: Route changes can be sent directly to the tablet in real time, even dur- ing a route. Quantum's GPS/AVL integrated solution offers full range of software features